Pony tripping on Andrews Bowen surface

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BertieBassett18

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Hi... My pony seems to not be able to get used to the amazing sand surface we have at our yard. He trips on it constantly (not anywhere else) and ended up damaging suspensory ligament. The surface isn't deep and is well maintained. It just seems somehow too sticky for him. Had anyone experienced this?
 
I have heard of this with horses that don't pick up their feet well on waxed type surfaces which tends to be firmer and are ridden on top of rather than traditional looser, softer surfaces that can take being scuffed through. The firmer surface doesn't allow the horse to drag their feet as much thus causing tripping.
 
Yes our local competition centre has this surface and when I was there recently for bd lots of people commented that there horses were tripping.
 
i really dislike waxed surfaces for this reason, i dont mind competing on them once in a while but would never have one at home so sadly i think a yard move is on the cards for you :(
 
EventingMum said:
I have heard of this with horses that don't pick up their feet well on waxed type surfaces which tends to be firmer and are ridden on top of rather than traditional looser, softer surfaces that can take being scuffed through. The firmer surface doesn't allow the horse to drag their feet as much thus causing tripping.
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This is interesting, is this due to a lack of riders riding on a variety of surfaces? Would the horse do the same thing on grass? As they can't drag their feet through that either, although I hate seeing horses being so lazy at the back that they are just dragging their feet along, it can't be good for them surely?
 
Why would a horse trip on a waxed surface and not on tarmac or any other dry flat surface? If I had a horse tripping on it I think I'd be looking for signs of low level bilateral front leg lameness.

I've ridden on quite a few, as most of the indoor arenas for hire round me have them, and have never had an issue with them. They are far better for the joints than any other surface, I reckon. I wish mine was waxed but I couldn't afford it. Waxed surfaces aren't used at all the major competitions for no reason.
 
I know of a few horses that struggle with the waxed surfaces, as lovely as they look, the horses that struggle were all older horses that had low grade issues (they were sound and well schooled, but slight changes in the hocks etc expected to be found in older higher mileage horses). As above it seems to be with the grip/slide for horses where their movement is slightly compromised.
 
I've got a waxed surface, ride a variety of horses on it of varying types and ages, some with 'issues'. Never had one trip. I would be looking to see if there is an underlying issue
 
This is interesting. There is a big competition centre near us and I think it's new surface is Andrews Bowen. I have stopped going there for dressage, though it's a nice venue. Not only was my boy tripping (which he does not do anywhere else) I also found that in our music test we got a fair way behind the music, which rather spoiled things. The surface seems to make every step just a little shorter than normal, so we don't cover the ground. He's a pony in his late teens, if you're interested, which fits with Leaping's observation.
 
I have heard this from others in the industry and whilst rehabbing my mare from injury I suggested to my vet that i was going to hire a local venue as my school is deep in places he was very vocal in telling me to use my deep school rather than a waxed surface as this would be better for my mare. As with everything each horse is different and different things cause different effects in each horse.
 
Quite a few years ago I trained with someone who had a very swanky, heavily waxed surface installed. It was a big name surface but I don’t recall who.

Anyway - lots of horses were tripping on it, a variety of types and levels from just backed to upper dressage levels. I think the general stickiness of it (for want if a better word) changed the limb mechanics.

But that was a sole example, I haven’t experienced it since and I far prefer riding on a good waxed surface in general
 
this is really interesting and somewhat reassuring! Have found exactly same issue of tripping and sliding with back legs on these surfaces. Fine on others, ridden on all types of terrain with no issue. Well balanced etc. But without fail, no matter what shoes he has on, on Andrew Bowen waxed surfaces he has a few little issues.....
 
My horse trips on waxed surfaces.It used to really worry me but I was speaking to someone who was saying that if you use a rubber surface regularly, a wax surface can catch horses out. as said before in a previous post it is something to do with limb mechanics and muscle memory
 
One of mine trips on waxed surfaces. She is better than she was now she is better balanced and more off her forehand but still does and never does on rubber,sand etc. I mentioned it to my physio and she said one of hers slips behind. She figures it’s a lot less forgiving of a slight toe drag .
 
It's not so much the fact there is wax in the surface but more how much wax, they can be unforgiving if too high a wax content and yes they can make the horse, or human for that matter, trip
 
Picked up on this thread, new surface at yard, microfibre from silicon chips, lots of horses tripping on it mine included who does not trip anywhere else and didnt trip on the old surface. Its not been raked or anything since it was finished about 4 weeks ago apparently this is what they were advised to do. Any input would be helpful
 
Definitely the amount of wax in the surface makes a difference, I know of one surface that it quite "tacky" and when you pick out the hooves it comes out with almost with a plasticine consistency. TBH I haven't seem horses trip on it but I can imagine that a horse with a significant toe drag might. FWIW, I wrote for a judge a few months ago and was shocked at how many horses and ponies had a marked toe drag.
 
so this morning a large rock was sitting on the surface which as it has been down for about 6 weeks doesnt seem quite right. there are large lumps of the fibre as well sitting on the top and some areas are squigdy and others are dry.
 
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